Not-So-Fated Mates

The moon shone brightly through the trees as she walked among them, in the forest she had known since she was a pup. She smiled as the mix of fall leaves and pine needles crunched beneath her feet, and breathed in deeply, loving the smell of autumn that surrounded her. Finding her favorite spot next to the river that cut through the forest, she hoisted herself on the tall rock she’d loved climbing as a kid. She felt at peace as she looked up at the full moon above, feeling the soft breeze lightly touching her skin and gently brushing along the sundress she wore. Suddenly, the breeze shifted, and the most wonderful smell surrounded her, a smell that she drew in deeply. It was very similar to the smell of the autumn forest, but carried a spicy hint of cinnamon as well as the musky scent of a wolf shifter. Opening her eyes slowly, she found the source of the scent standing in front of her. Her heart leapt into her throat as she gazed at the beautiful specimen of a male before her. He was tall, definitely above her own six foot height, with wonderfully long, blond hair pulled back in a low ponytail. He was broadly built and muscular, with sharp, angular cheekbones, his face softened slightly with the cheeky grin surrounded by the short, blond beard he had. His deep, blue eyes danced with something that looked quite devilish as he slowly looked her over. Realizing she’d been gawking for far too long, heat rose up her cheeks, most likely turning them a shade not unlike her long, ruby-red locks, she flicked her light blue eyes to the ground and cleared her throat, murmuring lamely, “Um, hi.” “Hi,” the man replied, chuckling. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sound of his deep voice. When she opened them again, she gasped. He had been standing a good ten feet from her, and although he hadn’t made a single sound, somehow he had crossed the distance between them in an instant. Before she could even think, he’d reached his hand to her cheek and pulled her into him, kissing her. She whimpered into the kiss, not finding it in her to stop him. She didn’t even think about the fact that this was a stranger, someone she didn’t know a single thing about. Truth was, she couldn’t think. Her body had responded to him instantly, as if it somehow did know him. All she could do was respond to the kiss as hungrily as he did, running her hands over his deliciously muscular body as he explored hers. Something about it all felt…right. When they finally broke apart, breathing hard, he smiled that devilish smile and said, “I’m coming for you.”